This articles covers how to turn variance color coding on and off.

It also covers how to fix color coding if it is wrong; that is, how to adjust what is a “good" (green) versus a “bad” or “adverse” (red) result.

How to turn automated color coding (red/green) on and off

To turn on the adverse/favorable variance formatting, go to Settings, Organization settings, then turn on the toggle "Show favorable / unfavorable variances" under "Organization values."

Once turned on, favorable variances show as green and unfavorable variances show as red. This means that a positive revenue variance will be green, but a positive cost variance will be red.

Note: when this option is turned off, variances all remain black, with no color coding.

Below is an example of a report in which favorable / unfavorable variance formatting has been turned on. You can see that where Budget is below actuals in sales, the negative variance is red, but where Budget is below actuals in costs, the negative variance is green. (Totals all remain in black).

How to change variance to reflect correct good/bad colors

The system automatically recognizes increases in revenue as “good” and increases in expenses as “red.”

Preset formulas and metrics are also automated for you.

If you add your own formulas and metrics, you can change the way in which a variance is viewed to control “good” (green), “bad” (red) and “neutral” (black).

You can do this in the formula editor found within the report row or metric.